The words that bind us
Opens July 2025, Durham Cathedral, UK
Light projection artwork within Durham Cathedral, artist's impression (c) Nicola Anthony 2025
A powerful new light projection artwork commissioned by Durham Cathedral to mark the anniversary of the Magna Carta.
A poetic imagining of a more compassionate society, The Words That Bind Us reinterprets the spirit of the Magna Carta for our world today.
This luminous river of text flows through the Nave of Durham Cathedral—shifting, shimmering, and animating as visitors walk along it. The artwork invites reflection, curiosity, and a renewed sense of shared values.
The Magna Carta set in motion ripples of change that laid the foundations for justice, democracy, and belonging. In a time when democracy feels increasingly under threat, this artwork invites you to continue that conversation.
The river is shaped by public voices—envisioning a more just, equitable, and hopeful future. It has been written collaboratively through workshops and conversations led by Nicola Anthony at Durham Cathedral over the past year, resulting in a collective vision of fairness and compassion for people and planet.
At its heart, the piece holds a quiet tension: between the organic flow of life—the messiness of humanity—and the structures that shape our society.
Visitors are invited to keep shaping this living river. The artwork evolves in real time, continually responding to reflections on what matters most for a fairer world.
